Rotary harrow.



No. 755,651. PATENTED MAR. 29, 1904. J. N'. GRAVES. ROTARY HARROW.

APPLIOATION FILED DEO. 26", 1903.

9 I bjqlforgelys- 35 transverse sectional'view.

ranented Maren 29, 1904. l

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

JOHN N. GRAVES, OF CUMBY, TEXAS ROTARY HARRow.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 755,651, dated March29, 1904.

Application {iled December 26, 1903. Serial No. 186,746. (No model.)

To all whom it muy concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN NGRAvns, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cumby, in the county of Hopkins and State of Texas, haveinvented a new and useful Rotary Harrow, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto rotary harrows;`

and it has for its objectA toprovide a device of this class mounted in awheel-supported IO frame, provision being made for the verticaladjustment and for the tilting of the harrow member, as well as for therotation of the` latter.

The invention consists in the improved construction, arrangement, andcombination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, andparticularly pointed out in theY claims.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown 2O a simple and preferred formof embodiment of my invention,it being understood, however, that I donot necessarily limit 'myself to the precise structural details hereinset forth, but reserve the right to4 such changes, alterations,

and modifications, especially with regard to` size, proportion, andgeneral manner of assemblage, as may be resorted to within the scope ofmy invention and without departing from the spirit vor sacrificing theutility of the same.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rotary harrow,constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention, the innerwheel being removed. Fig. 2 is a Fig. 3 is a plan view.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated by similarnumerals of reference.

The main frame of my improved rotary harrow comprises a pair of sidebars l 1, having forwardly-converging ends constituting hounds 2 2,between which the tongue 3 is mounted. The side bars `1 1 have bearingsfor the axle 4., carrying the supporting-,wheels 5, one or both of whichare4 to be securely mounted upon the axle to cause the latter to berotated when the machine is in operation. The side members 1 1 of theframe support an upwardly-extending arch 6 and a down- 5,0wardly-extending arch 7, which coperate to form a vertical framestructure which is provided with bearings for a vertical shaft 8. Thelatter is provided above the lower arch 7 with anV enlargement 9 toretain it within the limits of the frame structure. Said shaft is alsoprovided with a pinion 10, meshing with the gear-wheelv llrupon theaxle, from which i rotary motion is thus transmitted to the shaft 8. Thelatter below the depending arch 7 is non-circular in cross-section, asshown at 12, and it carries upon this non-circular portion the rotaryharrow member 14, which is vertically slidable upon thenon-circularportion l of thelshaft.

A vertically slidable' frame is provided, which is composed of sidepieces 15 15, pivotally connected at their upper ends by a crossbar 16and likewise pivotally connected near their lower ends by a cross-bar17, which latter is disposed above the rotary harrow member -and isprovided with an opening 18, surrounding the non-circular portion 12 ofthe shaft 8, which may freely rotate in said open'- ing. The sidemembers 15 in the verticallyslidable frame are provided at their lowerends with laterallyextending pins 19, carrying rollers 20, which extendunderneath and serve to support lthe rotary harrow member. The sidemembers 15 of the vertically-slidable frame are accommodated in recesses21 in the 'rear sides of the arch members 6 and 7 and between said archmembers and the axle and are thus prevented from displacement eitherlongitudinally or transversely. The rear ends of the sidemembers 1 ofthe frame support a yoke 22, upon which is mounted a seat-bar 23,carrying the drivers seat 24.. Rising from the yoke 22 is an upright'25, at the upper end of which is fulcrumed a lever 26, which isconnected by a link 27 with the top cross-bar 16 of thevertically-slidable frame. The lever 26 is provided with an ordinaryspring-actuated lock-dog 28, adapted to engage a toothed segment 29 forthe purpose of retaining thedlever and the parts 0perated thereby inadjusted position.

The operation of this invention and its advantages will be readilyunderstood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with thedrawings hereto annexed. When IOO the machine is propelled over theground, the

axle will revolve in its bearings, and through the intermediate gearingrotary motion is transmitted to the vertically-disposed shaft 8,carrying theI horizontally-disposed rotary harrow member, which latter,it may be stated, consists simply of asuitably-constructed wheel ordisk, provided with teeth extending downwardly, of any desired size,construction, and general arrangement. When the ground is rough anduneven, the joints at the corners of the'vertically-slidable framestructure will cause the latter to automatically adapt itself to anytilting position which may be occupied by the rotary harrow member inconformity to the inequalities in the surface of the ground, it beingnecessarily understoodl that the connection between the harrow memberand the non-'circular portion 12 of the 4shaft 8 is sufficiently looseto permit the rotary harrow member to be tilted within such limits asare liable to occur. The rotary harrowmember is supported upon theantifriction-rollers 20, carried by the side members of theverticallyadjustable frame, and is thus prevented from becomingdisengaged from the non-circular portion of the shaft 8, saidnon-circular portion being extended downwardly a suicient distance tocause the parts to remain properly connected under all circumstances. Bymanipulating the operating-lever 26 the vertically-slidable frame may beraised or lowered, thus raising or lowering the rotary harrow member, aswill be readily understood. When the harrow member is lowered, it willbe retained rmly in operative position by the stopdog of the leverengaging the rack-segment. When, on the other hand, the rotary harrowmember is raised from the ground for transportation, it is sustained insuch raised position by the same means.

Having thus described my invention, I claimy l. In a rotary harrow, awheel-supported`1 frame, a shaft journaled vertically in said frame,means for transmitting motion to said shaft from the rotary supportingmeans of the frame, a rotary harrow member slidable upon and connectedwith the shaft, and a verticallymovable frame supporting said rotaryharrow member.

2. In a rotary harrow, a wheel-supported frame, a shaft journaled insaid' framel and deriving motion from the rotary supporting means, arotary harrow member slidable upon and connected with said shaft, averticallyslidable frame, and rotary supporting means connected withsaid frame and extendingunder and revolubly supporting the rotary harrowmember.

3. In a rotary harrow, a wheel-supported frame, a vertical shaftjournaled in said frame and deriving motion from the rotary supportingmeans, a rotary harrow member slidable upon and connected with saidshaft, a vertiycally-slidable frame comprising side members and upperand lower cross-bars pivotally connected at the points of intersection,and rotary supporting means upon the lower ends of the side bars of saidframe extending under and evolubly supporting the rotary harrow mem- 4.In a rotary harrow, a Wheel-supported frame, upwardly and downwardlyextending arches connected with said frame, a verticallyslidable framehaving sidemembers disposed between the arch members and the axle, avertical shaft journaled in the arch members and receiving motion fromthe rotary supporting means, a rotary harrow member slidable upon andconnected with said shaft, and rotary supporting means for said rotarymember connected with the side members of the verticallyslidable frame.

5. In a rotary harrow, a wheel-supported frame, a vertically-disposedshaft, means for transmitting motion to said shaft from the rotarysupporting members of the frame, a rotary harrow member slidable uponand connected with said shaft, adjustable supporting means for saidharrow member, and means for effecting adjustment of said supportingmeans and for retaining the latter, with the revoluble harrow member, inadjusted position.

6. In a rotary harrow, a wheel-supported frame, a shaft in said framederiving motion from the rotary supporting members, a rotary l harrowmember upon said shaft, a verticallyslidable rectangular frame, loosely.jointed at the corners thereof, rotary supporting means for the rotaryharrow member journaled upon the side members of said slidable frame, anadjusting-lever, and a link connecting the latter with the top cross-barof the vertically-adjustable jointed supporting-frame.

`In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN N. GRAVES.

Witnesses:

MARvIN MoRToN, R. R. WILLIAMS.

